The north is a region of forests and mountains, and rivers and waterfalls, often set against a backdrop of swirling mists and fog. It occupies an approximate area of 170,000 square kilometers; the Northern Region of Thailand is mainly mountainous with dense jungles. The northern frontier runs from Tak Province upward to Mae Hong Son, some districts of Chiang Mai and on to Chiang Rai. To the east, the border touches mainly on Laos demarcated mostly by mountain ranges from Phetchabun upward through Uttaradit, Nan, Phayao and Chiang Rai. The northern region is the home of Thailand's many colorful hill tribal people such as the Lahu of Tak and the Yao, Akha, Karen, Hmong, and Lisu tribes of the Chiang Mai and ChiangRai mountain regions. The North is also noted for its rich cultural traditions, and many tourists from the surrounding provinces flock to Chiang Mai for the annual Songkran Festival, and to Sukhothai for Loi Krathong. Many of Thailand’s superior handicrafts are produced by northern hill tribes, making this an excellent place to pick up authentic gifts, keepsakes and souvenirs of your journey. The north is also a region of adventure. Rafting on rapids, mountain treks, mountain biking and even elephant safaris make exploring the region as exhilarating as it is fascinating.
History
The first true Thai kingdom was located in the north at Sukhothai. The Kingdom of Sukhothai was founded in the 13th century when Khmer power was beginning to wane. Its power base was in the Yom basin with Sukhothai as its capital. There were several cities under its domination including Kamphaeng Phet and Phitsanulok. Sukhothai reached its zenith of influence during the reign of King Ramkamhaneg the Great militarily, administratively, culturally and commercially. Close commercial contacts were established with China. Its power began to decline after two centuries and the kingdom, which held sway in the central region. The Lanna Kingdom was established by King Mengrai with Chiang Mai as its centre. Nineteen successive kings ruled the land lasting about 280 years before it fell to the Burmese (circa 16th Century). Some two hundred years later, the Thip Chang dynasty was founded and ruled Lanna as a vassal state of Thailand during the reign of King Rama I.
Thailand northern region comprises 17 Changwats (provinces);
1. CHIANG MAI
2. CHIANG RAI
3. KAMPHAENG PHET
4. LAMPANG
5. LAMPHUN
6. MAE HONG SON
7. NAKHON SAWAN
8. NAN
9. PHAYAO
10. PHETCHABUN
11. PHICHIT
12. PHITSANULOK
13. PHRAE
14. SUKHOTHAI
15. TAK
16. UTHAI THAN I
17. UTTARADIT
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